While I don't mind making them look different to a degree, I particularly did not like the size difference between Raph and the others. The exaggerated skinny limbs on the other three were on their own not good for figure designs. Far too flimsy and can hardly stand up. If an adult has a hard time making them stand steadily on their feet, how frustrated are the kids going to get with that who they wanted as the audience? That just hurts the play potential. When I saw the Rise basics Five Below had, the limited articulation was better for the young kids, but I only got my nephew Raph because I really thought he might end up breaking the others with those skinny limbs.
And that face paint and the basic Leo looking drugged or something... ugh.
As for PD... ehhhhh... I dunno, there's clearly some inspiration there at least in the case of Raph and Donnie's designs -- and
maybe utterly coincidental that Rise Leo's red marks falls almost exactly across where PD Leo's scar(s) is above/across his right brow and cheek so
maybe they looked at that and it evolved into the red stripes -- but enough else is different that I doubt it was supposed to be a PD show per se. I think it's also probable they did the old "hey, here's a random idea, now what franchise will we apply it to?" lazy nonsense.